2025-2026 Recipient of the Catalyst Grant

Kelly O’Brien, Lisa Avery, Darren Brown, Adam Brown, Todd Davenport, Soo Chan Carusone, Angela Cheung, Mark Faghy, Susie Goulding, Mary Kelly, Sarah O’Connell, Margaret O’Hara, Kieran Quinn, Anisha Sekar, Leticia Soares, Tai-Te Su, Cathy Thomson, Julia Moore Vogel, Hannah Wei, Kiera McDuff, and Julia Nathanson

Long COVID is characterized by multidimensional physical, cognitive and social health challenges, known as disability, which can fluctuate over time. We aim to describe the episodic nature of disability among adults living with Long COVID and identify rehabilitation strategies to prevent or mitigate episodes of disability. We will conduct a community-engaged study involving questionnaires (episodic disability questionnaire), digital wearable sensors (biometric outcomes), and interviews to explore the nature and extent of fluctuations of disability over time. Results will help to inform assessment of disability for future intervention studies on safe rehabilitation for people living with Long COVID.

Research Team: Chavon Niles, Nadine Akbar, Yahya El-Lahib, Susan Jaglal, Ameil Joseph, De-Lawrence Lamptey. Meredith Smith, and Mahadeo Sukhai

Collaborators:  Jeanelle Anderson and Euson Yeung

Community Partners: Raihanna Hirji-Khalfan and Gina Assaf

This community-engaged pilot builds on earlier work exploring how racialized disabled immigrants navigated health and rehabilitation systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines the untold rehabilitation experiences of Black and racialized people living with Long COVID in Ontario. Using Photovoice and narrative storytelling, participants from urban and rural areas will share images and reflections on illness, healthcare, and recovery. While most Long COVID research emphasizes biomedical perspectives, few studies have explored the struggles of racialized individuals adapting to life with its lasting effects (Hentschel et al., 2022). Findings will inform culturally responsive rehabilitation and support future Tri-Council research.

Dr. Euson Yeung, Jessica DeMars, Kelli Franklin, Dr. Andrea Duncan, Dr. Anne Hunt, Dr. Todd Davenport, and Hannah Wei

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the long-term consequences of viral infections with the emergence of Long COVID. Long COVID is the patient created term used to describe the ongoing impact of SARS CoV-2 infections, which can produce a myriad of symptoms leading to reduced function and quality of life. While Long COVID has presented as a new illness, infection associated chronic conditions (IACCs) are not new. Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) are just some the debilitating conditions that can be traced to prior infections. Individuals with Long COVID and other IACCs may present to rehabilitation due to symptom presentation and functional impairments. Safe rehabilitation for individuals with Long COVID and IACCs requires specialized knowledge and approaches, yet many rehabilitation professionals lack adequate training, leading to inappropriate and sometimes harmful treatments. This study aims to identify Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist competencies for safely managing Long COVID and IACCs through expert consensus using the Delphi method. Results will inform curriculum development in these professions and lay the groundwork for identifying competencies among other rehabilitation professionals, ultimately improving rehabilitation care for individuals with living with IACCs such as Long COVID.